With Charlie Manx on the hunt, Vic and her family go into hiding with Maggie. Wayne suffers mysterious nightmares while Tabitha chases a lead on Bing.

And we’re in Christmasland straight from the off, young Wayne alerted to Christmas carollers at the door. Except, he is sleepwalking, being led by Charlie Manx via the candy cane totem that he gave him. It’s a fiendish way that Charlie can control him and Vic is unaware that her son has given away details of where they are hiding out.

It’s a reunion of friends, with Maggie and her Scrabble tiles joining them to fight Manx, though she is still recovering from the seizure caused by the previous invocation of her special powers. There’s also a moment when the family are playing in the lake, a final expression of joy before darkness descends.

FBI agent Tabitha is already fighting the forces of evil in a very tense scene where she and Bing Partridge duke it out in a basement. The ferocity and strength of what she’s up against is apparent as Manx’s sidekick throws her around, and she barely escapes with her life. Vic and Maggie travel on the Triumph to come to her aid, but that leaves the occupants of the lakehouse exposed to Charlie.

Verdict: Four episodes in and the second season of NOS4A2 is, like its titular Rolls, firing on all cylinders. The stakes are higher than ever and Charlie will do what it takes to get Wayne. It’s a great hour of TV. 8/10

Nick Joy